Gombe National Park
There are truly wild places in Tanzania, Gombe National Park is one of them. The nature value of Gombe was noticed in 1943 when it was designated as a game reserve. Gombe gained its popularity after the pioneering research activities of Dr Jane Goodall in 1960 which is believed to be the longest running study of primates in the world. Conservation status was upgraded to that of a National Park in 1968 and opened for tourism in 1978 after chimpanzee habituated to human visitors. It is located 16 km north of Kigoma town on the shores of the world’s second deepest Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania with an area of 56 square kilometers.
Getting there
The park can be accessed by road and air.
Road. Accessed from all towns and cities to the present entry or exit points/gates namely Naabi Hill, Seronera, Ndutu, Kusini, Kirawira, Handajega, Ikoma, Tabora ‘B’, Lamai, Lobo, Ndabaka, Machochwe and Kleins.Air. There are all weather airstrips in the center of the park (Seronera), in the South (Kusini), in the East (Lobo), in the West (Kirawira) and in the North (Kogatende & Lamai). There are scheduled and private charters from Arusha, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Musoma, Dar es salaam and Zanzibar.
Park Attractions
Gombe wilderness worth a year round visit; enabling you to cruise along part of the historical inquisitiveness way back in the 19th century when Livingstone and Stanley searched the source of River Nile. Rainy season is the best chimpanzee sporting while the green vegetation blooms providing an astonishing scenic view and waterfalls are at the best (November to Mid- May) while dry season provides a chance for best photo taking , short and long hike(May to October).
Wild Animals
Gombe has abundant and diverse wildlife animals. Habitat preferences and seasonal food cycles determine in a general sense where a particular animal may be at a particular time (esp chimpanzee).
Reptiles and Amphibians
Gombe is attractive to herpetologist and other scholars as it harbors provides dozen of reptilian and amphibian species, which some of them are endemic to the Park.
Kakombe and Mkenke waterfall
Besides the incredible wildlife experience you can head out to Kakombe trail and Mkenke valley and explore the gorgeous natural Kakombe and Mkenke waterfalls.
Tourism Activities
Gombe National Park is a place to capture lots of memorable experiences, ranging from getting a view of the clear waters of Lake Tanganyika to exploring dense tropical rainforest. You can take a trails for deep forest hike with great chances of bird watching, butterfly gazing and sightseeing at Jane’s peak, mountain hiking to the waterfalls and large populations of the shy, social African great apes make Gombe National Park a popular destination for exciting moments of chimp trekking. Furthermore the Lake offers an expansive area for sport fishing, snorkeling,kayaking and swimming.
